I. ˈwāv verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English waven, from Old English wafian to wave with the hands; akin to Old English wǣfre wavering, restless — more at waver
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to flutter in a breeze
waving battle streamers
: float, play, or shake in an air current : move up and down or to and fro : flap
b. obsolete : to bob on or as if on the surface of the water : toss or fluctuate in water or air
2. archaic : to waver irresolutely between conflicting courses of action or opinion : hesitate , vacillate
3. : to motion with the hands or with something held in them in signal, greeting, or salute
continued to wave to him until the train disappeared in the distance
4.
a. of water : to move in waves, fluctuations, or undulations : heave
b. of a crowd : to move in a restless, irregular, or fluctuating way likened to that of sea waves
5. : to become moved or brandished to and fro
handkerchiefs waved as the president rode by
his sword waved and flashed
6. obsolete : to bend from side to side : move sinuously
7. : to move before the wind with a wavelike motion and appearance
field of waving grain
8. : to follow a curving line or take a wavy form : undulate
seen from a distance, its outline curves and waves in a Romanesque tracery
transitive verb
1. : to swing (something) back and forth ; especially : to lift up (a sacrifice) and move back and forth before the altar in consecration
take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord — Exod 29:26 (Revised Standard Version)
2. : to impart a curving or undulating shape or design to : decorate with a wavy surface, edge, or outline
waved her hair and manicured her nails
3.
a. : to motion to (someone) to go in an indicated direction or to stop : flag , signal
waved down an approaching motorist to ask for help
looked at my identification card and then waved me on
b. : to gesture with (as the arm) in greeting or farewell, in celebration of someone's triumph, or in homage to an honored person : make a sweeping, circling, or twirling movement with
waved hats and handkerchiefs in welcome to their returning hero
c. : to indicate by a sweep of hand or arm : signify
waved farewell from the ship's rail
waved dismissal as he turned and left
the officer waved acknowledgement — Wirt Williams
4. : to flap (the wings) in or as if in flight
5. : brandish , flourish , shake
waved a loaded pistol menacingly
6. : to blow (something) to and fro : flutter
the troops plodded by and a desultory breeze waved their banners from time to time
7. archaic : to move (the head) up and down : bob
8. : to toss (as a blossom) in the breeze
trees waved leafy heads
Synonyms: see swing
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : a ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid (as of the sea) having normally a forward motion distinct from the oscillatory motion of the particles that successively compose it : a minute ridge that is largely dependent on surface tension : a ridge of larger size that is dependent on the force of gravity : an undulation that is dependent on the friction between wind and water — compare breaker , ripple
b. : a body of water
2.
a. : a shape or outline having successive curves like those of ocean waves : one of the crests of such a form or a crest with its adjacent trough
b. : a natural waviness of the hair or a dressing intended to simulate it — compare marcel , permanent wave
c. : an undulating line or streak (as in glass, steel, or textiles) or a pattern formed by such lines
3. : something likened to an ocean wave as stormy or unsettling: as
a. : a surge of sensation or emotion
a wave of nausea
a wave of anger
a wave of tenderness
b. : one of the troubles or vicissitudes of life or fortune
c. : a tide of opinion or sentiment carrying many with it : a movement sweeping large numbers in a common direction : contagion
d. : a peak or climax of intensity : the moment of greatest activity or strongest feeling
a wave of enthusiasm
4. : a sweep of hand or arm or of some object held in the hand used as a signal, greeting, or other indication
5. : a long ridge of ground rounded into the shape of an ocean wave
6. : a rolling or undulatory movement or one of a series of such movements passing along a surface or through the air
7. : a movement likened to that of an ocean wave: as
a. : a tide, advance, or surge of settlers : one of a succession of influxes of people migrating into a region
b.
(1) : a large group of animals of one kind
the final wave of migrating ducks
(2) : a sudden rapid increase in an animal population or its effects
a very severe fly-strike wave followed the moist summer
c. : a line of attacking or advancing troops, landing craft, combat vehicles, or aircraft
it was D company; our second wave — H.G.Wells
8. : a disturbance or variation that transfers itself and energy progressively from point to point in a medium or in space in such a way that each particle or element influences the adjacent ones and that may be in the form of an elastic deformation or of a variation of level or pressure, of electric or magnetic intensity, of electric potential, or of temperature — see longitudinal wave , transverse wave
9. : a change in temperature or a period of hot or cold weather — compare cold wave , hot wave
10. : earth wave 1
11. : radio wave
12. : an undulating or jagged line constituting a graphic representation (as of heart action in an electrocardiogram, brain waves in an electroencephalogram, an earthquake in a seismogram, or a varying electric current in an oscilloscope)
III.
archaic
variant of waive
IV. noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: W omen A ccepted for V olunteer E mergency Service
1. : a member of the Women's Reserve of the United States Navy formed during World War II
2. : a woman serving in the United States Navy
V. noun
Usage: often capitalized
: a display by spectators at a sports event in which they rise in rapid succession, lift their arms overhead, and sit down again quickly so that a continuous swell appears to move through the stands